Quinn availability in Springfield office

Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn wants the state Legislature to start impeachment proceedings immediately when the House and Senate convene next week, according to Chicago Sun-Times' Statehouse bureau chief John McKinney. He reported today:

SPRINGFIELD — Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn said today if he becomes governor, his “first assignment” would be appointing a successor to Barack Obama, and he urged state legislators to launch impeachment proceedings against Gov. Blagojevich next week if he doesn't resign before then.

Quinn stopped short of saying he would veto legislation to establish a special election next spring to fill the state's vacant U.S. Senate seat, but he cited the multimillion-dollar expense of holding a vote and the fact it conceivably might not be resolved until June as reasons he might move on his own to anoint an Obama successor if Blagojevich departs.

"I think it's important to get this matter resolved as quickly as possible," Quinn said.

Apparently Quinn is stepping up to the plate.

When he held his first press conference Tuesday noon in Chicago while Governor Blagojevich was still in custody, I thought Quinn sounded nervous. Who wouldn't? But now, according to today's story in the Sun-Times, "Quinn said he has been contacted since the federal complaint against Blagojevich by former Gov. James Thompson, who offered his 'advice and counsel' to Quinn." And he attended David Axelrod's Christmas party last night.

Less to that than meets the eye, though.

"Axelrod has been a friend of mine for 30 years," Quinn said in the Springfield availability. "He had his Christmas party last night, and I said hello to him."